Golf bag



O? 2 186 491 583F615 ROW? Jan. 9, 1940. H, MEYER 2,186,491

I GOLF BAG Filed Jan. 23, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 9, 1940. L. H. MEYER 2,135,491

' GOLF BAG Filed Jan. 23. 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 2 v gwum vzook RUBBER RLCEi JI -QLQ, Search 2 Jan. 9, 1940. 1.. H. MEYER 2,186,491

GOLF BAG Filed Jan. 23, 1939 3 Sheets-5heet 3 Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

My present invention relates to golf bags, and has as its principal object the provision of a golf bag provided with a pair of supporting legs or struts which, when in their normal position, will be disposed closely adjacent and parallel to the side of the bag, and which, when in their extended or projected position, will cooperate with the bag so as to provide, with the bag, a tripod to support the bag in a substantially upright position, movement of the legs or struts to and from their normal and extended or projected positions being automatically efiected as the bag is raised from or brought into contact with the ground or other supporting surface.

I am aware that patents have heretofore been granted on devices for supporting a golf bag or the like in a substantially upright position, but for the most part the devices of such patents have been of such a nature as to be relatively complicated in construction and operation and to be unduly expensive, and generally require a material modification of the bag structure. Such devices generally include mechanism which projects into the bag body, thus decreasing the capacity of the bag and rendering the insertion and withdrawal of the golf sticks a rather difficult matter, or mechanism which projects from the outer surface of the bag when the bag is being carried from place to place, thus providing parts which catch in the clothing of the player and which detract from the usefulness and appearance of the bag. Additionally, the supporting devices of the prior art generally include independent handles, levers, or the like, which must be operated by the player when it is desired to extend and retract the supporting legs or struts. Hence, the supporting devices of the prior art have not gone into general use, even though most golfers readily appreciate the desirability of a means associated with a golf bag which will function to rigidly support the bag in a substantially upright position. As the result of my observations of. the prior art devices, I have perfected a novel golf bag provided with means for supporting the same in a substantially vertical position, which means are free from the disadvantages inherent in the devices of the prior art, and which means are simple in construction and operation, cheap and easy to manufacture, and highly eflicient in the purposes for which designed.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a golf bag having a pair of legs or struts pivotally connected to the upper end thereof and which are retained in a normal position closely adjacent and parallel to the side of the bag when the bag is being carried by the player, and which are released from their normal position and caused to move outwardly and laterally of the bag so as to provide, with the bag, a supporting tripod, movement of the legs or struts being effected by means of the conventional carrying handle or shoulder strap and by the mere act of lifting or raising the bag, or moving the bag into contact with the ground or other supporting surface.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a golf bag supporting means of the above mentioned character which includes a yoke member slidable longitudinally of the bag and connected to the legs or struts, which yoke member, when in its uppermost position, will retain the legs or struts in their normal position, and when moving from its uppermost position to its lowermost position, will force the legs or struts outwardly and laterally to form, with the bag, a supporting tripod for supporting the bag in a substantially upright position.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a golf bag supporting means of the above mentioned character wherein the yoke member is supported on a longitudinally extending guide, preferably a part of the bag frame structure, and wherein the longitudinal movement of the yoke member along the guide is effected by the conventional carrying handle or shoulder strap, such movement of the yoke member controlling the position of said legs or struts, and to provide, further, a locking means under the direct control of the carrying handle or shoulder strap for retaining the yoke member in its uppermost position, the locking means being automatically released when downward pressure is exerted upon either the carrying handle or shoulder strap, whereupon the yoke member moves downwardly to project the legs or struts to their supporting position.

Other objects and features of my present invention will be .eadily apparent from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which drawings I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention, showing the legs or struts extended or projected to support the bag in a substantially upright position,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, looking toward the top of the bag and showing the legs or struts extended or projected,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the legs or struts in their normal, retracted position closely adjacent and parallel to the side of the bag,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the bag frame structure with the cover removed, and showing the yoke member in its lowermost position with the legs or struts in their extended or projected position,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4,

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5,

Figure 7 is a perspective, exploded view of the yoke member and certain parts connected therewith,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of one end of the yoke member and a portion of the bag frame structure on which the yoke is longitudinally slidable, and

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view on the line 99 of Fig. 7.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and wherein like reference numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral l designates, broadly, a golf bag comprising as its essential elements a supporting frame structure 2 and a protective covering 3 of leather, canvas or the like. The golf bag I is provided with a carrying handle 4 and with a carrying or shoulder strap 5. Preferably, the bag I is provided with a pocket 6 adapted to contain golf balls, a sweater, a raincoat or other articles used by golfers, this pocket being provided, as is the usual custom, with closure means such as a zipper fastener I. The golf bag I illustrated in the accompanying drawings is substantially rectangular in transverse crosssection, this type of bag, because of its present popularity, having been selected for the purposes of illustration, although it is to be understood that my present invention is not restricted to this particular type of bag but that it may be used in connection with a round bag or a bag of other than substantially rectangular transverse cross-section.

The frame structure 2 of my present invention includes a top member 8 formed, preferably, from round metal stock and bent to substantially rectangular configuration with its rear edge slightly curved, and with its forward edge bent slightly to form two angularly disposed, converging portions 9 and ID for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Preferably, the forward edge of the top member is disposed at a higher level than the rear edge thereof as clearly illustrated, for example, in Figs. 4 and 5. A second or intermediate member II, also preferably formed of round metal stock, is bent to a configuration corresponding substantially to that of the top member 8 and is connected, as by welding, to the said top member by a plurality of longitudinally extending bars or rods 12 which extend for the full length of the bag and, like the members 8 and H, are preferably formed from round metal stock. The lower ends of the bars or rods l2 are preferably flattened and are rigidly attached, by means of bolts or nuts I3, to a flanged member M which constitutes the bottom of the finished golf bag. As will be readily understood, the length of the frame structure above described is slightly less than the -average minimum length of a golf stick, so that when a golf stick, or a plurality thereof, is inserted in the finished bag, the head of the stick will extend above the top of the bag a sufiicient distance to permit the head to be readily grasped and the stick readily removed from the bag. I preferably provide three bars or rods l2 which are of substantially the same length, one of these bars l2 being positioned at the front edge of the bag, and one on each side thereof, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A relatively short bar or rod l5 extends between the bottom member l4 and the intermediate member II, the upper end of this bar or rod l5 being welded to said member H and the lower end of said bar or rod l5 being flattened and secured to the bottom member M by means of bolts or nuts l3.

At the rear edge of the frame structure I provide a guide member I6 which comprises a fiat strip of metal or the like having its lower end welded to the inner surface of the intermediate member II and to the inner surface of the upper end of the bar or rod IS, the upper end of said bar or rod 15 being cut away, as indicated at I! in Fig. 5, 'to form a seat for the lower end of the guide member IS. The upper end of said guide member I6 is welded to the inner surface of the top member 8. The rods or bars [2 and the alined bar l5 and guide member 16, together with the top member 8, intermediate member H and bottom member l4, constitute the rigid frame structure of the bag. Immediately above the intermediate member II, I provide a transverse member l8, which rests upon the upper surface of the said intermediate member II and is secured by means of bolts, rivets, or by welding, to the outer surface of the guide member IS, the ends of this transverse member l8 being shaped or apertured to provide vertical sockets for the lower ends of vertical rods l9 and 20 positioned in parallel, spaced relation at opposite sides of the guide member l6 and having their upper ends welded to the top member 8. Adjacent the upper end of the guide member 16 and on the inner surface thereof, I provide an abutment 2|, and below said abutment and on the outer surface of said guide member I6, I provide a detent or latch lug 22, the purpose of said abutment and detent being fully described hereinafter.

The longitudinally slidable yoke member of my present invention is designated broadly by the reference numeral 23, and comprises an elongated, flat, central portion 24 provided near the upper end thereof with a pair of forwardly-extending arms 25 and 26 which are connected to the central portion 24 of the yoke 23 by portions curved to correspond to the curved ends of the top member 8, intermediate member II and bottom member I 4. A pair of spacer strips 21 and 28 are positioned adjacent the outer longitudinal side edges of the elongated central portion 24 of the yoke and are of a thickness slightly greater than the thickness of the guide member I6. Overlying the spacer strips 21 and 28 is an elongated plate 29 which extends for the full length of the central portion 24 of the yoke, the spacer strips 21 and 28, the elongated plate 29 and the portions 24 of the yoke, being provided at spaced intervals throughout the length thereof with registering apertures adapted to receive threaded bolts or screws 30 for rigidly securing these parts in assembled position. The upper end of the plate 29 is provided with an open-ended cut out portion 31, as best shown in Fig. '7, and is further provided with a pair of outwardly extending, spaced and apertured lugs 32 and 33 disposed at each side of said cut-out portion. The

said plate 29 is also provided with a second pair of outwardly extending, spaced and apertured lugs 34 and 35, and with a third pair of such lugs 36 and 31, which pairs of lugs are disposed in vertical alinement with each other and with the upper pair of lugs 32 and 33.

The numeral 38 designates a latch adapted for pivotal mounting between the pair of lugs 34 and 35, said latch having, in addition to the transversely alined openings by which it is piv otally mounted between the lugs 34 and 35. a second pair of alined openings 39 and 40. The upper looped end of the conventional carrying handle 4 is alined with the openings 39 and 40, as are the apertures 4| and 42 at the lower ends of a pair of links 43 and 44, and a suitable bolt 45 is passed through the upper looped end of the handle 4, through said lugs 34 and 35, through openings 39 and 46 in the latch 38, and through apertures 4| and 42 in the ends of the links 43 and 44 respectively. The upper hooked end of the latch 38 extends into the cut-out portion 3| at the upper edge of the plate 29 and, in one position of the yoke 23, is adapted to engage the detent 22 on the outer face of the guide bar |6. A suitable flat spring 46 is attached to the plate 29 by means of bolts 4! and 48, and has its upper free end bearing against the lower end of said latch to constantly urge and retain the upper hooked end of said latch into engagement with a detent 22. The upper ends of the links 43 and 44 are apertured and are pivotally connected to a second pair of links 49 and 50 by means of a suitable bolt 5|, the opposite end of said links 49 and 50 being apertured and being pivotally connected to the lugs 32 and 33, respectively, by means of a suitable bolt 52. The bolt 52 is also passed through the upper looped end of the conventional carrying or shoulder strap 5, the lower end of said strap being secured to a suitable buckle 53 attached to the rear face of the leather, canvas or other bag covering 3, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The lower looped end of the carrying handle 4 is preferably attached to the plate 29, by means of a pair of relatively short links 54 and 55, these links being pivotally mounted at their outer ends on a suitable bolt 56 which passes through the lower looped end of the said handle, and at their inner ends on a suitable bolt 51 which passes through the lugs 36 and 31.

The forwardly extending arms 25 and 26 of the slidable yoke member 23 are each provided at their outer ends with a guide member 58. having a vertical opening extending therethrough and adapted to slidably engage the vertical bars l2 positioned at opposite sides of the frame structure, the openings in said guide members preferably being rounded as best shown in Fig. 8. to reduce the friction between said guide members and bars. Each guide member 58 terminates in an outwardly directed end portion 59, to which is pivotally connected the inner end of a brace rod 60, preferably of two part construction united by a threaded sleeve or turnbuckle 6| by means of which the effective length of the brace rods may be varied. The outer end of each rod 60 is bent inwardly at a right angle to the length of said rod to form a portion which is journaled within a suitable bearing 62 carried on the inner surface of each of a pair of legs or struts 63. The upper ends of the legs or struts 63 are each provided with a bracket 64 which terminates in spaced portions adapted to encircle the angularly disposed, converging portions 9 and IU of the top member 8, whereby the said upper ends of said legs or struts 63 are pivotally connected to the top frame member 8 of the frame structure. It is believed that the detailed construction and the manner of assembling the various parts constituting the frame structure 2 of the above described preferred embodiment of my present invention, will be readily apparent from the preceding description. When thus constructed and assembled, I apply over the entire framework, a protective covering 3 of leather, canvas or the like which covering completely encloses said framework except the plate 29 and the parts carried on the outer face thereof, the legs or struts 63, and the brace rods 60. The marginal edges of the covering 3 adjacent the sides of the plate 49 are preferably rolled over the vertical rods l9 and 20 and are stitched to form a neat, straight edge which permits the plate 29 and the parts carried thereby to be freely slidable along the guide bar |6. The covering 3 is slit as indicated at 65 in Fig. 2 to provide for the movement of the brace rods 6|]. The upper edge of the covering 3 is rolled over the upper member 8 of the framework and the overturned portion is stitched to the body of the covering to thus retain the covering in place on the framework, it being noted that the overturned portion is cut away over the angularly disposed portions 9 and In of the top member 8 to permit the legs or struts 63 to be pivotally connected directly to said angularly disposed portions. If desired, a strap 66 may be threaded through spaced openings adjacent the top edge of the cover 3, to form partitions for separating the different roups of golf sticks placed within the bag.

Referring now to the operation of the abovedescribed, preferred embodiment of my invention and assuming that the golf bag is being carried by the player, either by means of the conventional shoulder strap 5 or by means of the conventional carrying handle 4, it will be apparent that the yoke 23 will be disposed at its uppermost position, i. e., a position wherein the upper edge of the yoke 23 will engage beneath the stop or abutment 2| and the hooked end of the latch 38 will engage the detent 22 to retain the yoke and its associated parts in the position shown, for example, in Fig. 3. When thus positioned. the inner ends of the brace rods 60 will be retained in their uppermost position and the legs or struts 63 will be retained close to the outer surface of the bag. When the player arrives at the green or other location on the golf course where he desires to make a play, he rests the lower, front edge of the bag on the ground and moves the carrying handle 4 downwardly, which downward movement causes the latch 38 to rock about its pivotal mounting against the tension of the spring 46 and thus releases said latch from engagement with the detent 22. Continued downward movement of the handle 4 causes the yoke 23 and the parts associated therewith to move downwardly along the guide bar I6 until the lower end of the central portion 24 of said yoke 23 strikes against the transverse member |8. As the yoke 23 moves downwardly, the brace rods 60 are forced outwardly and hence the legs or struts 63 are moved to their projected or supporting position best shown in Fig. 1. It will be apparent that when in their projected or supporting position, the said legs or struts will form, with the bag, a tripod to support the bag in a substantially upright position. The player may release his hold on the bag and is free to conveniently withdraw the desired golf stick from the bag. The above explanation is based on the assumption that the player is carrying the bag by means of the handle 4. If the player, instead of utilizing the handle 4 as the means for carrying the bag, is carrying said bag by means of the shoulder strap 5. it will be apparent that it is only necessary to rest the lower, front edge of the bag on the ground and to pull downwardly on the said shoulder strap. Such downward movement of the shoulder strap will cause the links 49. 50 and 43. 44 to move about their pivotal mountings and such movement, because of the pivotal connections between the lower ends of the links 43 and 44 and the latch 38, will impart a counter-clockwise movement to the latch 38 against the tension of the spring 46, thus releasing the latch from engagement with the detent 22. Continued downward movement of the shoulder strap 5 causes the yoke 23 and the parts associated therewith to move downwardly along the guide bar l6 until the lower end of the central portion 24 of said yoke 23 strikes against the transverse member l8, it being obvious that such downward movement of the yoke will move the legs or struts 63 to their projected or supporting position.

The player, having completed the play, returns the golf stick to the bag and, when he is ready to move on to the next location of play. he grasps the carrying handle 4 and lifts the bag from the ground. In so doing, the yoke 23 is moved up wardly along the guide bar l6 until the upper edge of the yoke engages beneath the stop or abutment 2|, at which time the upper, hooked end of the latch 38 engages the detent 22. When the yoke moves upwardly, the brace rods 60 move inwardly, thus returning the legs or struts 63 to their normal position closely adjacent and parallel to the side of the bag. The same result would be accomplished if the player, instead of lifting the bag by means of the carrying handle 4, lifted the bag by means of the shoulder strap 5. It will be obvious that the effective length of the brace rods 6|] may be adjusted by means of the sleeves or turnbuckles 6|, so that the legs or struts 63 will be closely adjacent the side of the bag when the yoke 23 is in its uppermost position.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a satisfactory and efiicient means for supporting a golf bag in a substantially upright position wherein the golf sticks may be conveniently inserted in and/or removed from the bag without requiring the player to bend or stoop. By means of my invention, the metallic heads of the golf sticks are kept out of contact with the ground, which is not the case when a golf bag is laid flat on the ground. The mechanism is such that there are no parts which project into the bag to decrease the capacity of the bag and/or to interfere with the insertion or removal of the golf sticks, and parts which project from the outer surface of the bag when the bag is being carried from place to place. I can, if found desirable, provide a lining of leather, canvas or the like for the inside of the bag, in which event the yoke will be readily slidable between the outer covering and the inner lining. It adds materially to the efficiency of the device of my present invention that the movements of the legs or struts to and from their projected or supporting positions are effected by the act of lifting the bag from the ground or placing the bottom of the bag on the ground and moving the carrying handle or shoulder strap downwardly. Numerous other novel and desirable features will be apparent from the above description.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention shown and described herein, is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes may be made in the size, shape and arrangement of parts without departing from the scope of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. In a golf bag, a frame structure including a guide bar extending longitudinally along one side of the frame structure and having a detent on its outer face near the top thereof; a pair of legs pivotally mounted on the frame structure at the side opposite said guide bar; a yoke longitudinally slidable along the inner longitudinal surface of said guide bar, said yoke being connected to said legs; a plate connected in parallel spaced relation to the yoke and adapted to slidably engage the outer longitudinal surface of said guide bar, said plate having upper and lower hearings on the outer surface thereof; a latch pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the upper bearing on the plate and having its upper end formed for engagement with the detent on the guide bar; a spring engaging the latch for retaining said latch in engagement with the detent when said yoke and plate are in their upper longitudinal position; and a carrying handle having its lower end pivotally connected to the lower bearing on the plate and having its upper end pivotally connected to the latch at a point below the pivotal mounting of said latch, said carrying handle serving as a means for moving said yoke and plate along said guide bar, said yoke and plate when in their upper longitudinal position with the latch in engagement with the detent, retaining said legs adjacent and substantially parallel to the side of the golf bag and when in their lower longitudinal position, projecting said legs outwardly to form with the bag a tripod to support the bag in substantially upright position, said carrying handle releasing said latch from engagement with the detent when said handle is moved downwardly about its pivotal mounting.

2. In a golf bag, a frame structure including a guide bar extending longitudinally along one side of the frame structure and having a detent on the outer surface near the top thereof; a pair of legs pivotally mounted on the frame structure at the side opposite said guide bar; a yoke longitudinally slidable along the inner longitudinal surface of said guide bar, said yoke being connected to said legs; a plate connected in parallel spaced relation to said yoke and adapted to slidably engage the outer longitudinal surface of said guide bar, said plate having upper, intermediate and lower bearings on the outer surface thereof a latch pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the intermediate bearing on said plate and having its upper end formed for engagement with the detent on the guide bar; a spring mounted on said plate for retaining said latch in engagement with the detent when said yoke and plate are in their upper longitudinal position; a carrying handle having its lower end pivotally connected to the lower bearing on said plate and having its upper end pivotally connected to said latch; a shoulder strap having its lower end connected to the golf bag and its upper end pivotally connected to the upper bearing on said plate; and a link extending between said latch and the pivotal mounting for the upper end of said shoulder strap, said carrying handle and said shoulder strap serving as a means for moving said yoke and plate along said guide bar, said yoke and plate when in their upper longitudinal position with the latch in engagement with the detent retaining said legs adjacent and substantially parallel to the side of the bag and when in their lower longitudinal position. projecting said legs outwardly to form with the bag a tripod to sup port the bag in substantially upright position, said carrying handle and shoulder strap releasing said latch from engagement with said detent when either said handle or said strap is forced downwardly.

3. In a golf bag, a frame structure including a guide bar extending longitudinally along one side of the frame structure and having a detent on the outer surface near the top thereof a pair of legs pivotally mounted on the frame structure at the side opposite said guide bar: a yoke longitudinally slidable along the inner longitudinal surface of said guide bar, said yoke being connected to said legs; a plate connected in parallel spaced relation to said yoke and adapted to slid ably engage the outer longitudinal surface of said guide bar, said plate having upper, intermediate and lower bearings on the outer face thereof, each of said bearings comprising a pair of spaced, transverselyaligned lugs struck out from the plate; a latch pivotally mounted on the plate between the intermediate pair of lugs and having its upper end formed for engagement with the detent on the guide bar; a spring mounted on said plate for retaining said latch in engagement with said detent when said yoke and plate are in their upper longitudinal position; a carrying handle having its lower end pivotally connected to the plate between the lower pair of lugs and having its upper end pivotally connected to the latch; a shoulder strap having its lower end connected to the golf bag and its upper end pivotally connected to the plate by a pair of links pivotally connected to the upper pair of lugs; and a pair of links pivotally connected to said latch and to said first-mentioned pair of links, said carrying handle and said shoulder strap serving as a means for moving said yoke and plate along said guide bar, said yoke and plate when in their upper longitudinal position with the latch in engagement with the detent, retaining said legs adjacent and substantially parallel to the side of the bag and when in their lower longitudinal position, projecting said legs outwardly to form with the bag a tripod to support the bag in substantially upright position, said carryin handle and shoulder strap releasing said latch from engagement with said detent when either said handie or said strap is forced downwardly.

4. In a golf bag, a frame structure including a top frame member; a guide bar extending longitudinally along one side of the frame structure with its upper end connected to the top member thereof; a transversely extending abutment at the lower end of said guide bar; a pair of legs pivotally mounted on the frame structure at the side opposite the guide bar; a yoke longitudinally slidable along said guide bar and connected to said legs; said yoke when in its upper longitudinal position, retaining said legs therebetween and substantially parallel to the side of the golf bag and when in its lower longitudinal position with the bottom thereof resting against the trans versely extending abutment, projecting said legs outwardly to form with the bag a tripod to support the bag in substantially upright position; a pair of rods extending longitudinally between the upper frame member and the transverse abutment, with one rod at each side of said guide bar in parallel spaced relation therewith; a handle attached to the yoke to move said yoke along said guide bar; and an outer cover for said frame structure, that portion of said cover adjacent said guide bar being secured around the rods at opposite sides of the guide bar to form a neat edge adjacent the guide bar and to permit free sliding movement of said yoke along said guide bar.

5. In a golf bag, a frame structure including a guide bar extending longitudinally along the rear edge thereof and a pair of longitudinally extending bars, one positioned at each side of said frame structure; a pair of legs pivotally mounted on the frame structure at the front edge thereof; a yoke longitudinally slidable along said guide bar and including a central portion and a pair of arms extending forwardly from said central portion; a bearing secured to the outer end of each arm and slidably engaging the bar positioned at the corresponding side of said frame structure; a brace rod extending between each of said bearings and the leg positioned at the corresponding side of said frame structure; and a handle mounted on the yoke for moving said yoke along said guide bar and along the bars positioned at the sides of the frame structure, said yoke when moving to its upper longitudinal position drawing the brace rods inwardly to move the legs toward a position adjacent and substantially parallel to the front edge of the bag and when moving to its lower longitudinal position projecting said brace rods outwardly to move the legs toward a position to form with the bag a tripod to support the bag in substantially up-- right position.

LYLE H. MEYER.

ill 

